Sully's Birth and Father's Day

This pregnancy with Sully was a bit of a challenge.
I think that for the most part I was just "pregnant" perhaps not thinking about the baby part of the equation I was just so busy.

About a week before I was due Bob took all the kids up to Brianhead to meet up with his family before his Grandmothers funeral.

I stayed home that evening all alone and enjoyed every moment of it.

It was the first time I really had a moment to think about this little sweet pea in my womb.

I began thinking about his looks, his name, his tempermant and all that he would be.

I started thinking about holding him and all of the snuggling.

I got really excited about his arrival.
I knew I was going to be induced in about a week if things didn't happen on their own.

His flipping around in my womb was a concern.

The Friday of my last appointment I felt really off.

Almost sick.

The Dr. checked me, I was dialated to a 2, and 65% effaced.

He stripped my membranes.

I had the worst back ache ever.
All day I kept thinking, "this is happening".

That night My Dr.'s nurse called to check on me, she said that both she and Doctor did not think I was going to make it until Monday.

I told her I felt terrible, she said get some good contractions going and go to the hospital....

Sure enough my contractions started.

Bob was ready.

I called my Mom and sisters and told them that they should probably come.

Brooke was the designated photographer for my delivery.

They were in the car and on the way within an hour.

By the time they got here everything had stopped.

I felt bad I rushed them down.

I went to bed feeling yucky and woke up in the morning feeling disappointed that nothing had happened during the night.

Kennan was stressing about getting home for father's day....and then I started fretting about it too.

I still felt terrible.

My mom and sisters took my kids and went swimming so Bob and I could rest.

I slept hard and I felt so much better when I woke up.

My dad called and we talked.

He told me to quit worrying and to relax.

The baby would come when it was time and not to worry, my mom was here until the baby came.

I also had a conversation with my Aunt Sandi and she said somethings that softened my heart.

(that's a conversation I will keep to myself, a little to precious for this forum)

That night us ladies went a walkin'.

(that was fun)

We talked a lot and when I got home and to bed I was in much better spirits.....

For about 30 minutes until my contractions started in every 3 minutes.

It was about 1 am and I started pacing, and I took a bath, I tried to sleep.

I woke Bob up at about 3:30, and asked him how he felt about getting a baby boy for father's day.

I finished packing my bags, called the hospital and headed down there.

I got there at 4am and I of course get the older nurse who was very business.

She wouldn't call my Doctor until she had monitered me for 2 hours.

I knew that not a lot would happen until they broke my water, this was after all my 5th baby, so I waited.

I kept telling her that he was not going to send me home....

I was going to be induced the next day.

Sure enough at 6 am she called Dr. Ott and he said admit her and he would be there by 7am.

At 6:55am the Doc walked in pushing a ultra sound machine.

He said "Let's find out where this little guys hanging out"

Thank goodness he was in the right position.

He started up the pitocin and told me after I got all my antibiotics (4 hours) he would be back to break my water.

At that point I called home and let my mom know and then at 9am I called my sisters.

I got my epidural right before he broke my water...

At that point I was at a 5 and 80% effaced.

Now all along they told me that I had a lot of Amniotic fluid, so when they broke my water it was no surprise I had a lot.

But when she came back 1 hour later and checked me and I had not progressed she wondered about my fluid.

She slightly moved his head in utero and a HUGE gush of water came out.

She laughed and said "no wonder he isn't coming down."

At this point my sisters and mom have gotten here....

Jen was watching my kids.

We are all laughing and talking when the nurse comes back in.

( She was an AWESOME nurse.)

She checks me again and still not a lot of change, she decides she will move his head one more time to the other side.

Another HUGE gush of water.

She looked at me and said that I had so much amniotic fluid.

No wonder he was flipping....he had his own personal pool.

She left and it is about 1:45 pm.

My mom and Brooke are Chocolate freaks so they send him down to the cafeteria to get some chocolate.

Within about 15 minutes I am feeling pressure.
I tell Brooke she might need to go find Bob.

I tell my mom to call Jen and tell her to come on down with the kids.

Brooke jumps up and heads out the hall and the nurse asks her if everything is okay and she tells her I want my husband because I feel like it might be time.

The nurse hurries in to check me and sure enough I am ready to push.

Bob makes it back and they start prepping the room.

I start to get nervous because I recoginze some of the NICU nurses.

Because I had gestational diabetes the baby has more health risks.

Within minutes Dr. Ott is there and I am asking them how long I can wait because I really want my kids there outside the door.

He says we can wait.

I love epidurals.

We waited for 20 minutes and just as the Doc starts to tell me we can't wait anymore, I hear my kids voices.

I get ready to push with Bob holding one leg and the nurse holding the other.

3 pushes later and a waterfall of more amniotic fluid (that splashed my husband pretty good.) and he was here....2:47pm

Dr. Ott asked "what's his name?"

I said "We don't know!"

Waxiest baby EVER.

This picture melts me....Gwynnie about to cry over hearing her baby brothers first cries.

Tucker looking so happy.

They told me 7.2 but it looks more like 7.1!

I held him for a few minutes and then they took him away...

They were worried about his breathing.

I started seeing Gil's RDS all over again.

I did not want to have to have another NICU baby.

I was so worried.

People kept asking me what were going to name him.

Kennan kept asking who she should text....

All I cared about was him.

Was he going to be okay?

My love for him was huge already.

They thought that his Glucose level could be low so they were going to let me feed him.

But they gave permission for daddy to hold him first and let his brothers and sister see him.

Daddy holding him for the first time.

And then they handed him back to me and it was LOVE.

He calmed down, and his breathing settled.

He knew he was back with me.

I can't believe I ever wanted him to be a girl.

I can't believe I ever thought I could go without him in our lives.

I forgot how much I love my babies.

He was ours.

He was mine.

Heaven......just ask Gil, that's what he smells like.

It was time for the siblings to meet.

This was the first time we have ever had anyone besides medical staff in the room with us.

As much as I loved having my mom and sisters there...

(hello, I love these pictures Brooke took.)
It was hard not having it be just us.

Bob was a saint as the Williams women took over his very precious job.

He is always my best support.

I was glad to have a moment with just the three of us.

Getting to know Sully.....

We didn't name him until everyone left and Bob and I could have a few moments alone.

That took place that evening. We had a few names we liked. We liked Oscar, Boden, Sullivan, and Heath. If he had dark hair I knew for sure it would be Oscar.

But he came out fair with blond almost redish hair. Abe loved the name Boden, and when he looked at him he said, "well, he's not a Boden."

I thought Sullivan immediatley after seeing him . Once Bob and I were alone he agreed with me.

Sully.

Born on Father's day.